Masonry walls are made of stone, block, or brick laid in stacked horizontal rows known as courses. To ensure that the courses are properly aligned vertically and horizontally in an intended location, a mason starts by setting up the bricks (or stones or other masonry blocks) at two corners of the masonry wall, sets a mason's line, a twisted or braided nylon line using pins.
Most masons use a line pin and nails to fasten line to the structure. The line pin is a steel pin about 4″ in length which tapers to a point. Better pins are made of tempered steel. The mason drives the line pin into mortar at the top of the course being laid. The mason's line is then pulled tight between the pins and tied.
Another method of fastening line is with line blocks, L-shaped blocks made of wood, plastic, or metal which have a slit in the center of the block. Wooden blocks are preferred because they grip the corner securely. The line is drawn tight through the slit in the block and held by tension against the finished corner. A similar block is used to fasten the line on the opposite end, thereby setting forth the orientation of the courses.
As masons know, a “trig” is relatively small prop or clip, usually made from light-gauge steel band material or the like, used to support or prop a guide string that marks a straight and level course by which to lay bricks or concrete blocks and the like. Concrete blocks or bricks are usually (but not always) laid in straight courses, one course on top of another, in progressive layers to build planar walls and the like. A mason typically sets up a guide string known as a “mason's line,” stretched level and tight across the span of the course, to aid him or her in aligning the blocks or bricks straight and level along the course. Trigs are used to support or prop these guide strings at several points along mid-span of the string because, especially for long courses, the trigs lift the sag out of the mason's line.
The quantity of patents claiming various forms of mason's line blocks or block alternatives bears witness to the necessity and utility of placement of mason's line anchors in the setting of masonry. Some of the notable examples are:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,948,065 issued to Simonic on Aug. 9, 1960 teaches a mason's line holding device which assists a mason in building a straight wall. The device, however, relies upon a nonslip line engaging pad to engage the brick for purposes of anchoring.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,186 issued to Stewart on Jan. 28, 1964 teaches a mason's line anchoring device formed as an inverted “U” to straddle a brick. Because of the pronounced thickness of the device necessary to serve as a platform for the pins of circular cross-section, the device according to Stewart could not be used by insertion into voids within the brick.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,461,565 issued to Harris on Aug. 19, 1969 teaches a multipurpose line stretcher for anchoring a mason's line. The line stretcher includes a wide body and two depending legs spaced to straddle a masonry unit or a portion thereof. An extension of the body serves as a tongue for attaching a mason's line.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,804 issued to Amos on Jul. 15, 1986 teaches a mason's line guide in two parts that, in cooperation, adjust as a clamp to the brick rather than simply overarching the brick.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,015 issued to Redl on Apr. 23, 1991 teaches a pair of flat plates with two rectangular sides providing corner pieces which fit over the top edge of bricks.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,263,779 issued to Wells on Sep. 4, 2007 comprises two identical holders fitted with stagger bolts and guide pins. Each holder further comprises a vee on the first end, the vee having a ramp on either side and a wedge in the base of the vee for removable string engagement. The string is pulled taught between the holders, thereby holding them in place on remotely positioned bricks to be used in aligning further bricklaying.
Each of the above-described devices, while performing the basic functions of positioning a mason's line, do not readily allow the mason to switch from laying brick to block without significant modification of the device, and each has further shortcomings in light of the variety of positions and configurations of brickwork needing to be suitably laid. Therefore, a need exists for improved mason's line anchors that will meet this wide variety of needs.